HURRICANES SIGN GOALTENDER PATRICK DESROCHERS

RALEIGH, N.C. – Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced today that the team has signed goaltender Patrick DesRochers to a one-year contract. As per club policy, no other terms of the contract were disclosed.

“Patrick has matured over this last season,” said Rutherford. “He will play an important role next season along with Kevin Weekes.”

DesRochers made his Hurricanes debut in 2002-03, recording a 1-1-0 record and 3.44 goals-against average in two appearances. Carolina acquired DesRochers from Phoenix on Dec. 31 in exchange for goaltender Jean-Marc Pelletier. DesRochers (6’ 4”, 205 lbs.) has played in 11 career NHL games for Phoenix and Carolina and has a career record of 2-6-1 with a goals-against average of 3.66. The Penetanguishene, Ont., native played 17 games with Lowell of the American Hockey League following the Dec. 31 trade, compiling a record of 4-12-1 with a goals-against average of 2.80. He was a combined 6-16-2 with a goals-against average of 2.75 and a save percentage of .914 with Springfield and Lowell of the AHL in 2002-03. Phoenix originally chose DesRochers in the first round, 14th overall, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.